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G>mmuiiity  Center  Circular  No.  1 


January.  1919 


DEPARTMENT  OF  THE.  INTERIOR 

BUREAU  OF^EDUCATION  '^«^rc^r 


-C. 


CONSTITUTION  OF-^ 
A  COMMUNITY 
ASSOCIATIONanch, 

IJNiVtRbllY  0^  CALlFOi;H!' 
LIBHARY, 

(flS  ANGELES,  CALIF 

Recommended  by  the 
United  States  Bureau  of  Education 


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A    001  137  223     2 


WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE 

1919 


Digitized  by  tlie  Internet  Arcliive 

in  2007  witli  funding  from 

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littp://www.arcli  ive.org/details/constofcommassocOOunitiala 


CONSTITUTION 

OF   THE 


COMMUNITY  ASSOCIATION. 


WE,  THE  PEOPLE  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES, 

residinn:  in ^ 


in  order  more  perfectly  to  fulfill  the' obligations  of  our 
membership  in  humanity  and  of  our  citizenship  in  this 
Nation,  this  State,  this  county  (this  city  or  town),  and 
this  local  community,  and  thus  to  secure  the  blessings 
of  democracy  to  ourselves  and  our  posterity,  do  consti- 
tute ourselves  a  Community  Association,  and,  for  our 
use  and  guidance,  do  ordain  and  establish  this  CON- 
STITUTION. 

ARTICLE  L 
Name. 

The  name  of  this  organization  is  the 

COMMUNITY  ASSOCIATION. 


98223°— 19 


(3) 


4 

ARTICLE  II. 

Purpose. 
Our  purpose  in  this  Association  is  orderly,  all-sided, 
constructive    conference    upon    public    questions,    and 
practical  cooperation  in  the  common  interest. 

AETICLE  III. 

Membership. 
Section  1.  Memhers. — All    citizens    of    the    United 
States,  21  years  of  age  or  over,  both  men  and  women, 
residinc:  in 


are,  b}-  virtue  of  this  national  citizenship  and  this  resi- 
dence, members  of  this  Association,  and  have  full  and 
equal  responsibility  and  right  to  attend  all  Community 
Meetings,  to  participate  in  all  discussions,  and,  upon 
being  registered  or  enrolled,  to  vote  and  otherwise  share 
in  the  proper  exercise  of  citizen  authority  in  and 
through  this  Association. 

Section  2.  Prospective    memhers. — All    aliens,    21 
years  of  age  or  over,  both  men  and  women,  residing  in 


who  have  declared  their  intention  to  become  citizens, 


are,  by  virtue  of  this  declaration  of  intention  and  this 
residence,  prospective  members  of  this  Association,  and 
as  such  may  not  vote,  hold  office,  or  otherwise  share  in 
the  exercise  of  citizen  authority  in  or  through  this 

Association. 

ARTICLE  IV. 

Oificers. 

The  officers  of  this  Association  are  President,  Vice 
President,  and  Community  Secretary. 
ARTICLE  V. 
Duties  of  o-fficers. 

Section  1.  President.— It  is  the  duty  of  the  Presi- 
dent of  this  Association  to  preside  at  all  Community 
Meetings  and  to  perform  such  other  functions  as  are 
hereinafter  prescribed. 

Section  2.  Vice  President.— It  is  the  duty  of  the 
Vice  President  of  this  Association  to  preside  at  Com- 
munity Meetings  in  the  absence,  or  at  the  request,  of 
the  President. 

Section  3.  The  Community  Secretary. — It  is  the 
duty  of  the  Community  Secretary  to  serve  as  the  agent 
of  all  citizens  of  the  United  States  residing  in  this 
community  and  constituting  the  membership  of  this 
Association  in  officially  communicating  with  and  receiv- 
ing official  communications  from  National,  State,  and 
county  representatives  and  administrators,  and  in  pre- 


paring  for  market  and  dispatching  or  ordering  and  re- 
ceiving commodities  for  residents  of  this  community 
as  this  Association  may  direct ;  to  serve  as  the  clerk  in 
connection  with  and  at  such  Community  Meetings  as 
this  Association  may  direct  to  be  called,  inviting  and 
arranging  for  the  coming  of  such  public  officials,  can 
didates  for  public  office,  or  other  speakers  as  the  Asso- 
ciation may  desire  to  hear ;  seeing  that  the  school  build- 
ing is  open  and  in  readiness  for  each  Community  Meet- 
ing or  other  gathering  arranged  by,  or  under  the  aus- 
pices  of,   this    association;   being   responsible   to   the 
board  of  school  directors  for  assuring  the  observance  of 
the   board's   regulations   established    to    forward    the 
rightful  and  prevent  the,  improper  use  of  the  public- 
school  property;  keeping  a  correct  roll  of  registered 
members   and  prospective  members,   and   a   complete 
record    of    attendance,    topics    considered,    principal 
speakers,  and  actions  taken  at  each  Community  Meet- 
ing;  to  serve  as  custodian  of  all  books,  pamphlets, 
charts,   pictures,   and   other  informational  or  exhibit 
material  belonging  to,  loaned  to,  or  to  be  acquired  by 
this  Association;  cataloguing  and  arranging  the  same 
so  as  to  facilitate  its  effective  and  proper  use,  and  mak- 
ing available  for  signing  such  nominating,  initiating, 
or  other  petitions,  subscription  rolls,  lists  of  positions 
vacant,   applications   for  employment,   or  other  lists, 
forms,  or  files  as  the  Association  may  direct  or  the  pub- 


lie  need  require  to  be  compiled  or  kept ;  to  serve  as  the 
executive  of  this  Association  in  arranging  for  such  oc- 
casional or  special  programs,  lectures,  exhibits,  enter- 
tainments, celebrations,  festivals,  and  commemorations 
as  this  Association  may  direct,  in  organizing  and  con- 
ducting the  social  and  recreational  activity  of  the 
youth  and  children  of  the  community  as  this  associa- 
tion may  direct,  and  in  managing  whatever  tax-main- 
tained cooperative  enterprise  or  enterprises  or  local 
branch  of  a  National,  State,  or  county  enterprise  or 
enterprises  may  be  established  or  authorized  to  be  con- 
ducted in  or  in  connection  with  this  public-school 
building;  to  serve  as  supervisor  of  dramatic,  literary, 
or  other  special-group  organizations,  societies,  clubs, 
or  classes  that  may  be  formed  under  the  auspices  of 
this  Association,  or  authorized  to  meet  in  this  school 
building;  and,  at  all  times  and  in  every  way,  to  seek 
to  assure  a  proper  coordination  and  harmony  between 
the  instructional  use  of  the  public-school  property  for 
the  children  and  its  use  by  the  other  members  of  this 
community. 

ARTICLE  VI. 
Election  of  officers. 
The  election  of  the  officers  of  this  Association  shall  be 
by  ballot.    The  officers  elected  at  the  time  of  organiza- 
tion shall  serve  until  the  Annual  Community  Meeting, 
to  be  held  in  June.    Thereafter  the  term  of  each  office 


8 

shall  be  one  year.  Each  officer  shall  serv3  until  his  suc- 
cessor shall  have  been  duly  installed.  Any  officer  may 
be  recalled  at  any  regular  Community  Meeting  upon  a 
three-fourths  vote  of  the  members  present,  the  Associa- 
tion having  determined  by  a  two-thirds  vote  at  a  Com- 
munity Meeting  held  at  least  two  weeks  before  that  the 
question  of  such  officer's  recall  is  to  be  voted  on  at  such 
Community  Meeting.  In  the  event  of  the  death,  resig- 
nation, or  recall  of  any  officer,  or  in  the  event  of  failure 
on  the  part  of  the  board  of  school  directors  to  ratify 
the  citizens'  election  of  Community  Secretary  and  to 
intrust  to  the  person  thus  elected  the  care  of  the  public- 
school  property  for  its  use  outside  of  regular  school 
hours,  a  special  election  shall  be  held  upon  arrange- 
ment with  the  board  of  school  directors,  due  notice  of 
such  special  election  being  given. 

ARTICLE  VII. 

CorriTnittees. 
There  shall  be  seven  standing  committees:  The 
Committee  on  Food  Production  and  Marketing,  the 
Committee  on  Savings  and  Investment,  the  Committee 
on  Health  and  Sanitation,  the  Committee  on  Employ- 
ment Service,  the  Committee  on  Recreation  and  the  In- 
terests of  Youth,  the  Committee  on  Child  Welfare,  and 
the  Executive  Committee.  Special  committees  may  be 
appointed  from  time  to  time  as  the  Association  shall 


direct.  The  chairmen  of  all  committees,  except  the 
Executive,  shall  be  named  by  the  officers  of  the  Associa- 
tion, subject  to  the  approval  of  the  Association.  The 
chairman  of  each  committee,  except  the  Executive,  shall 
select  the  other  members  of  his  committee.  The  duties 
of  the  several  committees,  except  the  Executive,  shall 
be  to  cooperate  with  the  Community  Secretary  in  pro- 
moting understanding  and  effective  action  regarding 
the  particular  matters  indicated  by  their  respective 
titles  and  to  discharge  such  other  functions  as  this 
association  may  direct.  The  officers  of  the  Association, 
together  with  the  chairmen  of  the  several  committees, 
shall  constitute  the  Executive  Committee.  The  presi- 
dent of  the  Association  shall  serve  ex  officio  as  chair- 
man of  the  Executive  Committee.  The  Executive  Com- 
mittee shall  act  as  advisory  council  to  the  Community 
Secretary,  and  discharge  such  other  functions  as  the 
Association  may  direct. 

ARTICLE  VIII. 

Meetings. 
A  regular  Community  Meeting  shall  be  held  in  the 
Schoolhouse  on  the 

of  each  month,  beginning  at o'clock.    Special 

conmiunity  meetings  may  be  called  at  any  time  by  the 
community  secretaiy. 


10 

ARTICLE  IX. 

Quorum. 

members  present  at  any  regular  Commu- 
nity Meeting  and members  present  at  any 

special  community  meeting  shall  constitute  a  quorum 
for  the  transaction  of  business. 

ARTICLE  X. 

Amendments. 

This  CONSTITUTION  may  be  altered  or  amended 
by  a  two-thirds  vote  of  the  members  present  at  any 
regular  Community  Meeting,  the  proposal  to  amend 
having  been  submitted  in  writing  at  a  regular  Com- 
munity Meeting  not  less  than  two  weeks  prior  to  the 
meeting  at  which  the  proposed  amendment  is  to  be 
voted  on. 


ORDER  OF  BUSINESS. 

I.  Call  to  order. 
II.  Reading  of  minutes  of  previous  meeting. 

III.  Correction  or  approval  of  minutes  of  previous 

meeting. 

IV.  Presentation  of  proclamations  of  the  President 

of  the  United  States  or  other  official  state- 
ments or  communications  from  National, 
State,  county,  or  municipal  representatives  or 
administrators. 
V.  Discussion  and  action  regarding  matters  pre- 
fsented  in  official  communications. 
VI.  Reports  of  standing  committees.  « 

VII.  Reports  of  special  committees. 
VIII.  Presentation  of  and  discussion  and  action  upon 
unfinished  business. 
IX.  Presentation  of  and  discussion  and  action  upon 

new  business. 
X.  Address  of  evening  or  other  special  program. 
XI.  Discussion  and  action  upon  matters  presented  in 
address  of  evening. 
XII.  Adjournment. 

(Music  or  other  entertainment  may,  of  coarse,  pre- 
cede and  social  activities  follow  this  regular  order  of 
business.) 

(11) 


EULES  OF  PROCEDURE. 

Rule  1.  Parliamentary  usage,  as  set  forth  in  Robert's 
Rules  of  Order  Revised,  and  parliamentary 
courtesy  shall  be  strictly  observed  in  the  con- 
duct of  all  community  meetings. 

Rule  2.  All  participation  in  discussion,  whether  upon 
matters  presented  in  official  communications, 
unfinished  or  new  business,  or  matters  set 
forth  in  the  address  of  the  evening,  shall 
relate  directly  to  questions  properly  before 
the  meeting  at  the  time  and  must  have  the 
character  of  orderly,  all-sided,  constructive 
conference.     Otherwise,  it  is  out  of  order. 

Rule  3.  In  all  discussions  speakers,  except  the  speaker 
of  the  evening,  shall  be  limited  to  five  min- 
utes each,  with  extension  of  time  only  by 
unanimous  consent. 

Rule  4.  In  all  discussions  no  person  may  speak  a  sec- 
ond time  until  all  others  who  wish  to  speak 
have  spoken. 

Rule  5.  Before  adjournment  the  speaker  of  the  even- 
ing shall  be  given  opportunity  to  sum  up,  an- 
swer questions,  and  close  the  discussion. 
The  Order  of  Business  may  be  suspended  or  changed, 

and  the  Rules  of  Procedure  may  be  altered,  amended, 

or  added  to  by  a  three-fourths  vote  of  the  members 

present  at  any  regular  or  special  community  meeting. 

(12) 

o 


